Summer School: Global Solutions for Water Security

In collaboration with the esteemed Hannover Re Foundation, Falling Walls Engage and Falling Walls Lab introduced the Hannover Re Foundation Summer School, that took place from 27-30 September 2023 in Hannover, Germany.

The 4-day intensive programme on Global Solutions for Water Security brought together 40 innovators and Science Engagers from 21 countries fostering knowledge sharing, idea exchange, and collaborative project development.

The course was filled with informative presentations from prestigious speakers and experts, as well as intensive group work. The programme culminated in the presentation of their seven distinct project proposals aimed at improving global water security.

The Falling Walls Foundation, together with the Hannover Re Foundation, is proud to spearhead this ambitious programme that strives to address climate change challenges, particularly in the realm of water security. By empowering innovators and researchers to create impactful projects, we envision a future where scientific solutions transcend borders, creating a more resilient and sustainable world.

Public Closing Event

On the final day of the Summer School, all participants presented their Global Solutions for Water Security to the public. The closing and networking event took place on site at Hannover Aufhof on 30 September 2023. Participants gained valuable insights into the future of water security and had the opportunity to meet the people who were actively working on these issues worldwide.

The Summer School participants presented their solutions in 5-minute pitches.

• Smart Water Lab: transform cities into blue-green cities through individual consulting/test results
• Planning for Planet: integrated and future-proof neighborhood planning with all available tool
• Water Watchdogs: breaking the wall to water monitoring accessibility
• Aquapure: city-wide water treatment to reduce microplastics contamination in drinking water and soil
• Aqusfund: interactive platform to map prospective areas affected by water scarcity, marketplace for donations for wetlands
• H2osure: insurance for water systems and water-borne diseases to treat global poor
• Nextgen Water: hydrotech to filter water for farmers to increase yield

The audience then had the opportunity to vote for the most promising project. The selected project had the opportunity to join a distinguished scientific community at the Science Summit 2023 on 7-9 November in Berlin.

In the final voting, NextGen Water’s multidisciplinary team emerged at the forefront, comprising Dr. Hussam Hussein, a political scientist from the Royal Scientific Society (Jordan), Dr. Amit Kumar, an environmental engineer from Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Mr. Manoj Matwal, a conservation and sustainability consultant from the Harela Society (India), and Dr. Tamlyn Naidu, a chemical engineer from the University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Water Research and Development (South Africa).

Their innovative approach illuminated the risks of emerging contaminants like PFAS and pharmaceuticals in various water sources, from drinking to household and even recycled water. The project’s core is an advanced cavitation based oxidative technique (developed by CLEWATEC), targeting contaminants at their molecular level, and removing the need for filtration. Proposing a partnership with farmers, the team aims to reduce the use of contaminated water, thereby enhancing the purity of agricultural produce and boosting yields. Moreover, a robust public awareness campaign intends to inform communities about these unknown water challenges and drive legislative and policy change.

This initiative advocates for tighter contamination controls and the adoption of refined purification methods, ensuring clean and safe water for all. Conceptual in its origin, the project embodies the synergy of cutting-edge science and community engagement, setting a new benchmark for water purification solutions. The team remains collaboratively engaged on this pivotal topic, while the technology undergoes further refinement through R&D.

Additionally, if you’re interested in supporting this initiative and exploring ways to contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to get in touch with our dedicated team members. Your involvement could make a difference in shaping the future of water security solutions!